Food preservation and storage



Aug. 9, 1938..

J. N. Liv-:wxs

FOOD PRESERVATION AND STORAGE Filed May 20, 1955 Nwx ,ZnL f INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 9, 1938 FOOD PRESERVATION AND STORAGE James Nelson Lewis, Columbus,"0hio Application May 20,V

6 claims;

The present invention relates to food preservation and storage and more specifically to the preservation and storage of ice cream, being directed to so-called Ice cream cabinets and their operation.

Among the objects of the invention is to overcome the objectionable features of both the mechanically refrigerated and the ice refrigerated` cabinets now being widely used, and greatly sim- 10 obtain superior results.

Another object is a cabinet in which the refrigerating effect is obtained through the use ofsolidified carbon4 dioxide, commonly called dry-ice, in a' manner in which the refrigeration is under complete control.

Another object is to so conduct the process of refrigeration, using dry-ice, as to retard the sublimation of thisV material at such times -as active refrigeration-is not going on and to stimulate sublimation at other times.

Still other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, wherein reference is 'made to the accompanying draw- 25 ing illustrating a preferred `embodiment. of the invention', and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughoutthe several views.

In the drawing: l Figure l is a horizontal section through a four hole cabinet involving the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2,-2 of Figure `1. 35 A cabinet involving the present invention is .illustrated in the drawing as comprising a main compartment I0 of a size 'to accommodate 'the required number of containers, there beingfour shown as at I I. While four are shown, however, the number may be varied according to requirements and the invention is equally applicable to any number from one up,

' This main compartment I0 is within' a suitably built ycabinet structure, heat insulated, preferably with a thick layer of cork board as indicated at I2, and the spaces between the containers suitably packed as indicated at I2a.

The containers II are of the proper size to receive each a removable can or other carrier (not shown) containing the ice cream' to be stored, and,`for the greater portion of their height and also on their bottoms, are jacketed as indicated at I3, to Vwhich jackets are connected, at top and bottom respectively, the manifolds 'Il and` I5. And, within the Vjalclnets I3 plify the construction and service as well as to'- 193'5, serialA No. 22,443

(ci. fsa-91.5) f

`there is preferably provided la spiral partition 20 extending around the container several times so as to provide a long rather-narrow path 2l from one manifold connection to the other.

.At one sidev of the main compartment IIJ is a smaller gas tight compartment 25, Well heatinsulated and lined with metal as at 26` o'r other suitable material, shown as provided with a false bottom 21, suitably spaced as. by the blocks 28.

Spaced a short distance from'that wall of compartment l adjacent the containers I I, is a par.-

tition 26a which extends from the top of the compartment to near the bottom being spaced from the latter or cut away to provide a passage 29d/under the partition into the small chamber` 25a. Further, within chamber 25a is a stillv smaller open top chamber 3I with which near its top communicates the duct 32. Chamber 3| is closed at its bottom and serves as a catch basin or settling chamber for any snowy material passing thereinto over the upper edge which is located somewhat below the top of compartment 25 and vpartition 26a.

Leading into compartment 25Aand extending across the upper part thereof is a pipe 35, closed at its end and provided with a plurality of perforations along its under side. This pipe 35 is connected to discharge. outlet 36 of a housing 31 containing a suitable blower or fan (not shown) operated by a motor 38 and to the inlet of the fan housing is connected a tube or pipe 39 connected to the manifold I5. `Operation of the fan, it ,will be noted, will produce a, circulation i operation, a suitable cake or block of solid carbon dioxide, dry-ice, will be placed in the compartment 25 and the latter'clos'edtightly as by the door 4I.

With the ice vcream containers loaded and properly closed by suitable lids (not shown) and with a suitable block of dry-ice in compartment 25, a too high temperature on thermostat control 40 will'cause the blower to draw gas from the jackets I3 and force it into compartment 25 upon the tops of the dry-ice block. Such operation obviously cools this gas but also stimulates sublimation of the solid carbon dioxideso that cold gas passes from the compartment 25 under partition 26a into space 25a and out through chamber 3| and into the upper ends of jackets It is of course obvious that the volume of circulating gases is increased by the sublimation process and that relief means must be provided. Such means is shown at 50, being a small discharge pipe leading from the delivery side of f the fan and of a size to permit a suitable proportion of the gases to pass off rather than be blown back into the circulatory system.

While it is preferred to so arrange the manifolds and their connections as to divide equally the gas as supplied to the jackets I3, it is equally obvious that these connections could be so arranged as to produce differing temperatures in the several containers Il if desired, either by using different sizes of connecting members or by the use of valves.

Further, by reducing the amount of insulation between compartment 25 and that container Il nearest'to it, it is possible to maintain a lower temperaturein that container than in the others even with equal distribution of gas from manifold Il.

.Attention is directed to the fact that, when the blower is not in operation, the block of dry ice is completely enveloped in extremely cold.

carbon dioxide and that, therefore, sublimation is retarded to a point where it practically ceases,"

to start again lonly when the blowers begin to operate.

Now having described the invention and the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that said invention is to be limited, not to the specic details herein set forth, but only by the scope of the claims which follow:

What I claim is:

1. The process of refrigerating a container which comprises substantially enveloping said container in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide gas sublimated from solid carbon dioxide, positively withdrawing by mechanical means said gas from the container and passing a portion thereof intocontact with a body of solid carbon dioxide to thereby stimulate sublimation and to replace that withdrawn and not re-used and carrying on said withdrawal only when the temperature within the container exceeds a predetermined point.

2. The process of refrigerating a container which comprises substantially enveloping said container in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide gas sublimated from solid carbon dioxide, posi-f tively withdrawing by mechanical means said gas from the container and passing a portion thereof into contact with a body of solid carbon dioxide to thereby stimulate sublimation and to replace that withdrawn and not re-used, then said container and adapted to receive a body .of solid carbon dioxide, a. duct leading from the upper portion of said compartment t'o the jacket. of.said container, a second duct leading from another portion of saidl jacket into said compartment, circulating means in said second duct and baille means for substantially preventing passage of gases directly from said second duct to said first duct.

4. A food cabinet comprising a heat-insulated cabinet, a jacketed containerA therein, a compartment in said cabinet but heat-insulated from said container and adapted to receive a body of ysolid carbon dioxide, a duct leading from the upper portion of said compartment in heat transfer relation with said body of solid carbon dloxide and to the upper portion of the jacket of said container, a second duct leading from the lower portion of said jacket into said compartment, circulating means in said second duct and baffle means for substantially preventing passage of gases directly from said second duct to said first duct.

5. A food cabinet comprising a heat-insulatedcabinet including two compartmentsheat insulated from each other, a plurality of individually jacketed containers inone of said compartments, each jacket having therein a spiral partition from top to bottom, a gas supply pipe leading into the upper portion of each jacket and a gas withdrawal pipe leading from the bottom of each jacket, asupply manifold connected to the supply pipes and a second manifold connected to the withdrawal pipes, a duct connecting said first manifold to the second compartment and a second duct leading from the second manifold also to said second compartment, and a circulating device for withdrawing gas from said second manifold and discharging at least a portion thereof into said second compartment.

6. In a food cabinet, a heat insulated solid carbon dioxide compartmentl having a false bottom, a duct connecting the upper part of said compartment with the space under saidfalse fbottom, a second duct leading from said space nected so as to discharge partly into said compartment and partly out of the system.

. JAMES N. LEWIS. 

